Metallic sheet-piling.



J. S. OWENS.

METALLIC SHEET FILING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1912.

1 077 295 Patented Nbv.4,1913.

carr es STATES PATENT enrich.

JOHN SWITZER OWENS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN MALAN DE MENDOZA VER MEHR, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

METALLIC SHEET-FILING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJOHN Swrrznn OWENS, asubjeet of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, in the county of MiddleseX, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallic Sheet-Piling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to metallic piling for cotter dams and other constructional purposes of that kind which is composed of metal plates or sheets of trough shape in cross section having means whereby the several sheets or plates may be interlocked one with the other to form a continuous wall of piling.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved system of piling in which the least moment of inertia through the neutral axis of the assembled piling shall be increased thereby rendering it capable of resisting the maximum degree of thrust from either side.

A further object is to provide an improved sheet metal pile which while containing the least amount of metal shall possess the greatest practical strength and rigidity when in position; and a further object which I have in View is to so" construct the piles that jamming of the joints due to imperfect alinemcnt may be prevented so that subsequent drawing of the piles will be facilitated, for it is to be observed that one of the greatest advantages of metallic piling is its adaptability to repeated usage by being pulled and re-drivcn after the work to be done through its temporary application has been finished.

A sheet metal )ile according to this invention is trough shaped in cross section and to one of its longitudinal flanges is rigidly secured a longitudinal strip of metal so arranged as to form with the edge of the pile a lock or clutch since between the said strip and the edge of the pile to which it is fixed a recess or groove is formed the opposite longitudinal flange of the pile being so formed as to engage in and interlock with the corresponding groove or recess of the ai'ljoining pile in such a way that regarding each pile as a trough these all face the same way relative to the line of assembled piling. The lock or clutch is so formed that the engaging parts are parts of concentric circl'es, or have sufficient clearance to permit of some deviation from a straight line when driving a row of piles, at the same time the joints between the piles are so formed that the entering or male part of each is constrained on both sides by the female part of the adjoining and interlocking pile so that lateral movement in both directions is prevented at the joint. Thus when the piles are interlocked the only movements permitted by the joints are a limited rotation of the pile around a vertical axis and a parallel sliding motion of one pile upon another in the joint.

In order that my invention may be readily understood and carried into practice 1 will now describe the same fully, for which purpose reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show plans of single sheet piles constructed in accordance with my invention.

In Fig. 1 the longitudinal strip of metal A bent or formed of suitable shape as shown, forms with the flange of the pile to which it is fixed a lock orclutch since between the strip A and the edge of the pile a recess or groove C is formed which, when the piles are driven edge to edge, fits over and slides down the adjoining edge of the next pile which is formed as shown at D was to fit into the recess or groove 0 and thus form the lock or clutch. Both the recess C and the projection D are so shaped that when two adjacent piles are interlocked aknuckle oint is formed allowing some freedom of movement and preventing jamming should the piles be out of line; and also permitting such piles to be driven in a line curved on. plan should it be desired. It will be seen that these piles are. intended to be driven so that the troughs all face in the same direction relative to the line of sheeting not with the troughs facing alternately on each side as is usually done. This gives a thinner dam, occupies less space but gives equal strength. The piles are designed so that the neutral axis of each passes through the middle of the section and thus, owing to the piles all facing the same way, the neutral axis of each pile is in the center of thickness of the dam and also in the center of thickness of each pile. These two conditions do not obtain when trough shaped piles are designed to be driven alternately in opposite directions the neutral axis of alternate piles being usually on opposite sides of the center line of the dam. This invention also enables the mass of the metal to be kept as far away as possible from the neutral axis, which is a condition torgreatest strength.

In Fig. 1 the longitudinal strip A is shown as having been riveted on to the flange of the pile. Fig. 2 shows a slight variation on Fig. l the strip A being riveted to the other side of the pile but otherwise the effect aimed at is similar to that in Fi 1. It is to be noted that in both forms the pile comprises a trough shaped central portion with flanges extending from of the trough outwardly.

The neutral axis of each pile, parallel to the dam, is made to pass through the center of the section by suitably designing the relative widths of the bottom of the trough and of the parts of the pile on each side between the sides of the trough and the clutch; thus when driven edge to edge as sheet piling the neutral axis of each pile lies in the middle of the thickness of the sheeting.

the edge I claim:

,1. A metal pile comprising a trough shaped section, flanges extending outward from the edges of the trough, one of said flanges being provided with an outer ed e formed in substantial U-shape in cross section, the remaining flange having its outer edge rounded, and a coope carried by the last mentioned flange and provided with a rounded portion in spaced relation to the rounded portion of the flange whereby a groove is formed adapted to receive the U-shaped edge of a second pi e.

2. A metal sheet pile of a trough shape in cross section and provided with flanges extending outwardly from the edges of said trough, each of said flanges having its edge of U-shape in cross section, and a plate secured to one of said flanges and provided with a bulb edge extending into the concavity of the flange edge and lying in spaced relation to the inner side of said edge here by to provide a groove adapted to receive the opposite edge of a corresponding pile.

JOHN SWITZER OVV'ENS.

Witnesses A. E. VVnrru, D. VVEs'rcoT'r.

'ating member 

